The Mexican federal government and the state government of Sinaloa have announced plans to provide MXN 122 million (USD 6.6 million, EUR 5.7 million) to commercial fishers in the state through Bienpesca, a government welfare program that provides financial support directly to the nation’s fishers.

“What unites us is the sensitivity to bring well-being and prosperity to fishermen throughout the country and, in this case, to those in Sinaloa,” National Commissioner of Aquaculture and Fisheries Rigoberto Salgado Vázquez said in a statement.

The agreement will see each Bienpesca recipient in Sinaloa receive MXN 3,750 (USD 202, EUR 175) in addition to the MXN 7,500 (USD 403, EUR 350) the Mexican government injected into Bienpesca accounts earlier this year. The additional funding was provided through an agreement between the federal and state governments, which will split the costs of the MXN 122 million investment. 

The National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (Conapesca) estimates the payments will reach 32,500 fishers and aquaculture workers in the state.

“The people of Sinaloa are grateful, with more than 32,000 beneficiaries, both men and women. It's not just coastal fishermen and women; we also have inland fishermen and women, aquaculture farmers, and the crews of larger vessels who also benefit,” Secretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Sinaloa Flor Emilia Guerra Mena said in a release.

Disbursement of funds was set to take place 30 October. The funds can be used to purchase supplies, gear, and fuel for fishing. Sinaloa is the only Mexican state operating a state-level Bienpesca program offering additional support for its fishers above the annual federal investment in the program. Since being introduced in 2022, the state-level program has distributed over MXN 297 million (USD 16 million, EUR 14 million) to its fishing community.

Mexican fishers could also receive financial support in the form of lower fuel prices. At the signing event for the federal-state partnership, Vázquez reported that he had asked Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to set a lower fuel price for commercial fishing operations.

“I told the President that one of the main supplies for fishermen is gasoline, and I asked her to give us a preferential price for it. She said yes and that we need to work out the formula to determine the final price. This news, along with this agreement, will surely make our community – the fishermen and women – very happy,” he said.

Source - https://www.seafoodsource.com